GHK News – The View from the First Man Over the Top

We’re Not Ready for Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa

‘I've never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn't appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something good in men that really yearns for discipline.’
Vincent Thomas Lombardi (1913 – 1970) American Football Coach and designer of the old Hornung single wing concept.

Men, it is with a heavy heart that your weekly penman presents today. Today marks the last breenge over the parapet for the current campaign. A hard-boiled treat I find hard to swallow.

It would be simple to wax lyrical wearing rose tinted bifocals about what in reality has been a protracted and testing season that has placed many hurdles in our road, but we must remember our efforts have not been in vain. We have added another chapter to the glories of the regiment.

I have sought for this column to be a rhythmic reminder of what our great game Rugby is actually about in our instantaneous society. From the Front, I have realised that week to week it is easy for us all, no matter of rank, to become despondent through the constant bodily niggles of injury we carry with us or simply waiting seven days to rectify a below par performance. Similarly, as human beings it is easy to loose sight of how fortunate we are for what we simply have.

During the road just travelled we have discussed every Friday the various nuances and sanguine points of our sport but as I reflect on what I have seen first hand this season there is one facet of our game that remains constant that is often overlooked and has served as a lesson to this advancing prop.

Rugby is about People. Granted a special type of person but people never the less. I can openly understand why I have never been noted as a ‘people person’ yet I can plainly reason that ‘people’ is why I play. Yes, the champagne rugby has its attractions, the spiraling bomb and miss pass their plaudits but if we are all honest it is the camaraderie of those around us, no matter their age, that overshadows and long lives in our minds and hearts.

Our great game offers us a myriad of stereotypes – the former players and mini-coaches reminiscing at the bar, the great storytellers we love to tour with or the carping hooker who is constantly driving you on at the heart of the scrum. Similarly, those overseas visitors who brought their game faces to the table – Tuominen, Brookbanks and Barkmeier instantly spring to mind - not to mention the one and only Broadbent. The weekly and onerous rugby schedule of training, playing and socialising does not permit hiding places and results in a scrutiny of our fortitude. There are few other sports that offer such lack of respite. Seen through the oppositions eyes I can imagine I am not an affable adversary to stand against. Yet what other sport after 80 minutes of toe-to-toe with the Kiwi lock in Hawick enables mutual respect to break out in the bar?
It is rugby’s unique ability to expose the character of the individual for us all to see that lends us to group together and has ultimately led to many of the strongest of friendships we have.

Over the course of the last few weeks many of us will have questioned if we can carry on for the next fight or for the weaker amongst us to look towards accompanying our better half’s to the shopping malls of the Empire’s Second City. Men, resist these desperate urges and use this time to find a quiet corner on a dark room to take solace for a moment wearing the obligatory high heeled shoes and headgear. It is with enormous pride that I look back at how far the people of OA have come this season in placing our Club in a better position that when we started together.

Padre ‘Micky‘ Dunlop has taken leave and Assistant Adjutant General Shambilton is looking west.

Special mention to ‘The Pres’ Forbes Dunlop for excellence in the field this year. Well taken on, Sir. As you were.

The Regiment for tomorrow’s game against Ross High RFC at O.A, 3:00pm kick-off, is as follows:
15 D ‘Zedong‘ Whyte
14 C ‘Churchill’ Sorlie
13 D ‘Engels‘ Hoffmann
12 S ‘Schwarzenegger’ Robertson 

11 P ‘Thatcher’ Ritchie
10 A ‘Blair’ Fleming
9 A ‘Clinton‘ Shedden
1 A ‘Xiaoping’ Forbes
2 S ‘Chavez’ Cameron
3 C ‘Lavish Modelling Techniques in’ McLay

4 A ‘Wasela’ Drummond
5 H ‘Livingstone’ Parker
6 G ‘Tutu’ Reid
7 S ‘Bush’ Neilson
8 R ‘Jintao’ Shedden

16 R ‘Murphy’ Murphy
17 R ‘Berlusconi’ Johnson
18 R ‘Mugabe’ Stewart

Genuine best wishes and a thick slice of Dundee cake to all Anniesland teams this weekend.

Yours as always, running towards the gunfire in front row union, ball in hand and making ground, with a Samoan sidestep, handoff and correct presentation. Never beaten, its best Mizuno boot forward and onto the second phase. With thoughts of Ralgex jerseys and opportunities with armpit hair. Crouch. Touch. Pause. Engage. Heart in the fire. Head in the Icebox. Always look to the left in a photograph, mon frere. Take one for the columbarium-fanciers. Thames Rowing Club. Like the leader of a buffalo stampede. Never tippex your face. It’s on. More electrical tape needed. Three times round. One phase is not a phase. A parapet is to be hurdled. Pa. Ma. Ra. Ra. Ra. Ra. Chase that grubber. Signing out.

Disco [Cpt.]


Supporting Note: Major Ken Cowan has a ticket…

__._,_.___

This article was posted on 22-Apr-2010, 22:36 by Hugh Barrow.